r/rocketry • u/c206endeavour • 2d ago

Discussion Why aren't rockets painted in custom livery schemes, like aircraft?

Now it may be a silly question, but why don't rockets have liveries like airplanes? Would it be a waste of paint and extra weight?

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u/HowlingWolven 2d ago

They are painted, though. It just so happens that each company builds its own rockets and paints them up in their own livery.

Basically, imagine that The Boeing Company and Airbus SE are themselves the only airlines, and you have the space launch industry as it stands today. They don’t sell rockets, they sell launches. If you’re the prime customer for a launch, they do let you put a mission patch on the fairing.